YCT-529 is the name of a brand-new hormone-free birth control pill designed for men, and researchers have now shared the early trial results.

Thanks to constant progress in science and technology, researchers have been exploring new options for male contraception. This latest development adds a major step forward to that journey.

What really sets this pill apart is how it works. Most forms of birth control — especially pills — tend to rely on altering hormones. But this one doesn't disrupt testosterone levels at all, making it a big departure from what’s been done before.

The pill, developed by YourChoice Therapeutics, actually works by temporarily stopping sperm production — but it does this without messing with the body’s testosterone.

Diving into the science a bit, it works by blocking a specific protein called retinoic acid receptor alpha. That protein is crucial when it comes to the process of making sperm.

What’s really exciting is that the effects of the pill are not permanent. Trials done on male mice showed that YCT-529 reduced sperm count significantly and caused temporary infertility — but the effects were reversible within just four weeks.

YCT-529 is a new male contraceptive pill one trialJackyenjoyphotography / Getty

The findings are very promising. The study showed a 99% success rate at preventing pregnancy in mice that were mating while on the pill.

After seeing how well it worked in animals, the researchers moved on to testing it in humans. The first phase involved 16 healthy male volunteers aged between 32 and 59. But this test wasn’t about seeing if it prevented pregnancy just yet.

Instead, as explained by Nadja Mannowetz — co-founder and chief science officer at YourChoice Therapeutics — the main goal was to check how well the drug was tolerated in the body, according to an interview with Scientific American.

To avoid any risk of permanent infertility, all the participants in this stage had already had vasectomies. That way, researchers could be extra cautious while studying the pill’s early effects.

One key thing that stood out: none of the men experienced any serious side effects. That’s important because past hormonal contraceptives have been linked to side effects like mood changes, reduced libido, weight gain, and acne.

Mannowetz also pointed out that they observed 'good and quick bioavailability' — meaning the drug stayed active in the body and didn’t break down too fast to be effective.

Studies reveal men want to share the contraceptive burdenJackyenjoyphotography / Getty

As for why this new birth control is such a big deal, Akash Bakshi, CEO of YourChoice Therapeutics, explained it simply: "Studies and surveys continue to show that men want to share the burden of pregnancy prevention with their partners... But they have just one nonpermanent contraceptive option — condoms — and it's 170 years old."